04/07/2014

Court Of Appeal Bill Published

A Bill proposing the introduction of a Court of Appeal and "enhancing access to justice for all our citizens" has been published by Fine Gael.

The party's Minister for Justice and Equality Frances Fitzgerald published the Bill, which he says "delivers on the commitment in the Programme for Government to establish a Court of Appeal and is a timely response to the decision taken by the people last October when they approved the proposal to amend the Constitution to make provision for the establishment of the new Court."

The Minister noted that the Bill itself is technical in character in that its essential purpose is to ensure that the new Court of Appeal is properly accommodated within the existing courts structure. It makes the legislative changes necessary to ensure that the new court can function smoothly within that structure.

"The establishment of the new Court will be an important step in enhancing access to justice for all our citizens. It should make a significant impact upon the waiting lists for cases which are currently pending before the Supreme Court and should also ensure that future cases will be dealt with in an expeditious and timely manner," the minister said.

Adding: "There is a maxim that justice delayed is justice denied. The ripple effects of current delays extend beyond the justice system to impact not just on individual litigants but also on the wider economy. Today marks a significant step in the modernisation of our courts system and I am proud to be in a position to deliver on this key piece of legislation."

(MH/IT)

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